Elysian Fields

Who: Will and mostly OTA
Where: Mostly on the island
When: During port
Warnings: CWs in the Truths- will note in the thread, but most likely warnings would be for blood, cannibalism, murder, toxic relationships, and gaslighting/manipulation in the darker ones. Please let me know if you'd like something lighter!

1. Exploration

This is the sort of place that makes more room in his mind palace, Will decides as he steps onto the island. The air is fresh, there's plenty of places to be alone, and he can actually see the fish swimming in the water. He feels the peace and calm instantly.

But before he settles into anything just yet, he decides to take a walk. He explores the ruins and the abandoned buildings, walks up and down hills, through small woods and around sparkling ponds. He talks with the inhabitants here, happy to meet them. He can see why people would stay and rest here. He's been in such a state himself, where he thought that all the healing in the world would never be enough for him to recover.

Find him as he wanders, and he's likely to beckon you over. Everyone could use a good walk.

2. Horizon's Bloom

Will is out to collect the water every morning. Every morning. That's why they're here, right? Besides, he and Malcolm won't be sleeping all night for a long while now.

After the first trip out, he's not longer surprised by the way this works, but he doesn't approach with trepidation. He's beyond hiding his Truths from himself or others. He brings snacks and water for the trip out, and watches to see who comes to the harbor.

3. Of course there's a fishing prompt

Will does his best to make sure that there's no spirits guarding the ponds or rivers or piece of shore that he decides to fish in. He doesn't mind negotiating, but he doesn't want to just barrel in. Once that's done, he plops himself in (no waders, the water isn't cold enough to worry about it) and casts.

And casts and casts. Fly fishing is always his favorite, and it's more active than the standard method. If someone comes by in the middle of it, he instantly stops- not a great idea to have a hook flying near people just walking towards you. But he's often got a pile of fish on the shore and some in a large bucket (for bringing back to the Barge and putting in the pond there).

He spends a lot of his time doing this. But he'll be out picking fruit and helping track down specific items for people (mainly Sweeney), as well.

4. Making a Scene - closed to Malcolm

Of course, even Will needs to change it up every so often. So he sets something up for him and Malcolm. The packed storage tub doesn't give a lot away, and neither does the random hill he takes them to. But when he opens it, Malcolm can see the packed food and (in a separated side) a bunch of painting supplies. The easels are crammed in there too- they have everything they need.

The smile Will gives Malcolm is one of hopeful excitement. "What do you think? I was going to say paint first, but...we should probably eat first. The colors might be better closer to sunset, anyway."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Malcolm doesn’t know where they’re going or what they’ll be doing, but part of him assumes something productive. They’ve been collecting a lot of dawn and picking fruit and gathering supplies. But he follows gladly, because he enjoys working with Will and he trusts Will. They stop on the hill and Malcolm tilts his head curiously. Will opens the tub and, as Will explains the options and Malcolm sees inside the tub, his whole being lights up.

ART TIME. Art Time Picnic. Just them. That’s a whole romantic evening in a box.

He nods about the light being better near sunset and drops down to his knees to help take things out of the tub.

“What are we eating?” he asks with interest. He looks up and Will’s face is right there, so he leans across the tub to kiss him before he can answer.

They have been working really hard, even if it's the sort of chores Will enjoys anyway. So yes, this evening's just for them. He takes that kiss with gusto, stopping everything to pull Malcolm into a hug. This, more than anything else, is what he needs to feel better. This is setting him- well, them both, really- right again.

After a shockingly-long kiss, Will finally pulls away and starts unpacking properly. He pulls out several smaller boxes and the blanket that's on the bottom. He sets it out on the ground with a flap and a flourish. If Malcolm looks, he'll notice they have a view of the ruins (and the not-so-ruined buildings), as well as the harbor.

The smaller boxes are food containers, and he manages them even though they don't have labels. "I thought I'd lean slightly Mediterranean. So...baked cod with white rice, a separate lemon sauce with an olive oil base, if you want to try some. Lightly toasted bread with a spreadable goat cheese. Roasted vegetables- although that's more of an experiment, I don't know how it'll do cooled off. And some dates and grapes I picked today." He smiles down at the boxes, slightly embarrassed. "I overdid it, but we can save whatever we don't eat. I wanted to make sure you had a variety to choose from."

He has silverware and napkins, but no plates. Picking at it from the containers seemed like more fun to him, anyway. He holds a napkin-wrapped fork out to Malcolm with a smile.

Malcolm scoots around onto the blanket, sitting close to Will and peering into each box in turn with interest, taking the fork with a smile. He plucks a piece of toast from its box and spreads a little cheese on it, taking a small bite that he chews happily while looking around at their 360 view.

"When did you find this place?" he asks, reaching for a little chunk of fish with his fork.

Will watches Malcolm eat with a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. He knows it's never a guarantee that Malcolm will feel up to it, so every bite is a little celebration in his mind. Will follows after Malcolm with his own fork, grabbing slightly larger bites for himself. But snacking here on this beautiful hill feels...almost heavenly.

"Not long after we first arrived," he answers Malcolm. "I went looking for at least one place for us." For them to enjoy alone, because they certainly deserve it after the past couple of months. "I knew we could...relax, here. No matter how busy the rest of the island is."

'Place for us,' Will says and Malcolm's attention shifts abruptly from the view to Will's face, his smile even broader and warmer. He leans over for a kiss, lingering in it a moment, then - when it breaks - reaching for a small piece of fruit that he pops in his mouth.

"Do you think... we should get married outside?" Malcolm asks.

He knows Arthur and Sheehan are getting married here; they received an invitation. He felt a little like someone jostled out of the way in line to get into heaven when their engagement was announced very shortly after Will proposed to him, and now it feels like that again. Two nerds getting pushed against the lockers by the popular kids as they storm past. But he tries not to entertain those feelings. He knows they're not entirely fair. Arthur and Sheehan didn't push past them out of turn. They probably never gave them a single thought.

He wants to think about their future and what they have to look forward to.

"Someplace near water, maybe."

He had, in fact, searched for a spot half in mind of a wedding. The question clearly doesn't come from nowhere. He kisses Malcolm back and raises his head, looking contently at the sky as Malcolm asks.

"Outside would be nice. Near the water even better. But...we don't need to wait for it to be perfect. I just want family there," he admits. His eyes had closed, he realizes, as he thought of possible scenarios. He opens them, looking directly at Malcolm again. "If we do find a perfect place afterward, we can always force someone to officiate and do it again."

His smile turns playful and he leans towards Malcolm, sliding the arm he hasn't been eating with over Malcolm's shoulder in a half-hug. "...and again, and again. I'd love to renew my vows every few months with you, if we find that many good spots."

Malcolm smiles, leaning into that half a hug to press a kiss to the side of Will's neck before looking up at him again, that smitten look that Will tends to provoke on his face.

"Re-forging the bond whenever nature moves us like... druids or something," he says with his own playful grin.

He reaches up to fidget with the buttons on Will's shirt for a moment, lost in his own thoughts just briefly, then looking up to meet Will's eyes again.

"This is perfect. Thank you." He glances around their view again. "Do we get to paint the sunset?" It would be coming up... just about after dinner. He points at one of the boxes. "I want to try the fish."

After the first day, Thrawn is very particular about who he ventures out beside into the waters. He has far too many secrets; that his warden knows some of them is a necessary evil, given his file.

Some of his secrets he knows are harmless; others are not. Thus, anyone else in Thrawn's boat must be carefully vetted, the beneficial aspect of healing the ship weighed against the risk of revealing too much. The fact that he cannot control which truth is frustrating, too.

He pauses at the harbor, red eyes scanning the bay. They land on Will for a half moment longer than necessary.

There's a question at the end of his gaze.

Will catches Thrawn's gaze and seems to answer the question with a nod and the ghost of a smile. "Would you join me this morning? I'd prefer your company," he asks.

He'll keep the man's secrets- they're not his to give out. But he'll understand if it's too risky for Thrawn.

He finds Will an acceptable companion; Thrawn nods, and extends a hand, gesturing towards the boat.

"Under the condition that we speak of what we see to no one. I will do the same."

Elysian Fields

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2. Horizon's Bloom

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